Hello Friends... Onam week has started and here I share my Onam recipes to all. Onam is a harvest festival celebrated in Kerala, India. Onam falls in the month of Chingam, which is the first month according to the Malayalam Calendar. The celebrations begin within a fortnight of the Malayalam New Year and go on for ten days. Kerala's rice harvest festival and the Festival of Rain Flowers, which fall on the month of Chingam, celebrates the Asura King Mahabali's annual visit from Patala (the underworld). Onam is unique since Mahabali has been revered by the people of Kerala since prehistory.The King is so much attached to his kingdom that it is believed that he comes annually from the nether world to see his people living happily. It is in honour of King Mahabali that Onam is celebrated.The ten days of Onam are celebrated with great fanfare, by Malayalees with Pookalam, Onam Sadhya, Boat race, Onakodi, Onapattu and so on….
Onam Sadhya is a variety of vegetarian dishes traditionally served on a banana leaf in Kerala, India. A normal Sadhya can have about 24-28 dishes served as a single course. In cases where it is a much larger one it can over 64 items in a in a Sadhya like the Sadhya for Aranmula Boatrace (Valla Sadhya). The main dish is plain boiled rice, served along with other dishes collectively called Kootan which include curries, Parippu, Sambar, Rasam, Pulisseri anlike Kaalan, Avial, Thoran, Olan, Pachadi, Mango pickle as well as Papadum, Banana, plain Yogurt or Buttermilk, and plantain chips. The traditional dessert called Payasam served at the end of the meal is of many kinds and usually three or more are served.
I am sharing 17 dishes for all my friends for this Onam 2014. Try and prepare these dishes for this Onam and have a Happy and Prosperous Onam.
Sambar (Potato Sambar)
Ingredients:
Tur dal - 1 cup
Onions - 1 medium (chopped)
Green chillies - 3 nos (slit into half)
Garlic - 3 pods (chopped)
Ginger - small piece(chopped)
Tomato - 1 nos (chopped)
Potatoes - 2 nos (cut to cube pieces)
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Red chillie powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 string
Water - 1 ½ cup
Tamarind water - ½ cup (valan puli)
Sambar powder - 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds- ½ tsp
Hing - a pinch
Curry leaves - 1 string (for tempering)
Dry red chillies - 3 nos
Oil - 2 tbsp
Preparation:
- In a cooker, add dal, onions, green chillies, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, potatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, curry leaves, salt, water and let cook for 2 whistles and let cool.
- Once the dal is cooked, add tamarind water, curry leaves and let boil for few minutes.
- Add the sambar powder and let boil for a minute or two. Once done, switch off flame.
- In a kadai, heat oil splutter mustard seeds, hing, dry red chillies and curry leaves.
- Pour the temper to the dal.
- Easy idli sambar/potato sambar is ready to serve.
Note:
- Any vegetables can be added to the sambar for taste. I added potatoes and green beans.
- Tamarind water can be added according to taste.
Parippu Curry (Easy Dal Curry)
Ingredients:
Tur dal - ¾ cup
Onions - 1 large (cut to pieces)
Tomatoes - 1 large (cut to pieces)
Green chilli - 2 nos (slit to half)
Garlic - 5 pods (sliced)
Jeera - ½ tsp
Dry methi leaves - ¾ tsp
Turmeric powder - ¾ tsp
Red chillie powder - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dry red chillies - 4 nos (cut to half)
curry leaves - 1 string
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Water - 1 - 1 ½ cup
Salt - to taste
Preparation:
- In a cooker, add dal, onions, tomatoes, garlic, green chillies, jeera, methi leaves, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and water. Let cook for 1 or 2 whistles and keep aside.
- In a kadai, heat ghee, splutter mustard, dry red chillies, curry leaves and fry for a sec. Pour this to the cooked dal and mix. Serve by garnishing with dry methi leaves or curry leaves.
- Delicious and easy Tur dal curry is ready to serve with chapatis, parathas and rotis.
Kootu Curry
Ingredients:
Black Kadala/Channa - 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Raw Plantain - 1 cup (cut to small pieces)
Grated Coconut - ½ - ¾ cup
Turmeric powder - ½ + ½ tsp
Small onions - 5 nos (sliced)
Ginger - a small piece (chopped)
Green chillies - 3 nos (chopped)
Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp
Red Chilli powder - ½ tsp
Water - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dry red chillies - 5 nos
Curry leaves - 2 string
Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
Preparation:
- Cook black kadala/channa in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water. Once done, drain the water and keep aside.
- Cook the raw plantain with water, salt, ½ tsp turmeric powder. Once done drain the water and keep aside.
- Grind small onions, green chillies, cumin, chilli powder, grated coconut, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder with little water to a coarse paste and keep aside.
- In a vessel, add the cooked plantain, black kadala, the grinded mixture and mix well. Check salt at this stage.
- Cover and let cook on low flame for 5-6 minutes. Once done off flame and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves. Pour this mix to kadala and raw plantain curry.
- Delicious Kootu curry is ready to serve with Rice and Parippu curry.
Kalan
Ingredients:
Raw bananas - 1 cup (cut to thin cubes)
Yam - 1 cup (cut to thin cubes) - optional
Thick curd - 1 cup (Beaten well. No water added)
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Coconut - ½ cup
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Green chillies - 2 - 3 nos
Fenugreek seeds - ½ tsp
Dry red chillies - 4 nos
Curry leaves - 2 string
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Preparation:
- Grind grated coconut, turmeric powder and green chillies and keep aside.
- Boil raw bananas and yam with turmeric powder, pepper powder and salt. Once half cooked, add the coconut paste and boil.
- Add the beaten curd, mix well for a sec and switch off flame.
- Pour coconut oil in a kadai, sputter mustard seeds, fenugreek, dry red chillies, curry leaves and pour to the kalan.
- Cover and serve the next day. It tastes better the next day.
Note:
- Raw banana and yam can be added together for this curry. I used raw bananas.
- Once beaten curd is added, pls off flame after a sec or the curd will curdle and the dish will not taste good.
- Prepare this dish a day before for any special occasion rather the same day for great taste.
Aviyal
Ingredients:
Carrot - 1 cup
Potato - 1 cup
Raw banana - 1 cup
Beans - 1 cup
Drum Sticks - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - ½ + ½ tsp
Green chillies - 4 nos (slit into half)
Curd - ½ cup (sour)
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Jeera - ¼ tsp
Water - 1 cup
Salt - to taste
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 string
Preparation:
- Cut vegetable into ½ inch long pieces and boil with turmeric powder, green chillies and salt with water.
- Grind coconut, jeera , turmeric to a paste and keep aside.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, check salt and add the coconut paste and mix well. Let the coconut cook in vegetables for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the curd and mix well for a sec.
- Switch off flame, add curry leaves, coconut oil and yummy Aviyal is ready.
- Served with rice as one of the dish for Kerala sadhya.
Note:
- All vegetables are cut to cube pieces or ½ inch length pieces
- You can also use raw mango alternate to curd.
- This is a semi gravy dish. You can adjust the thickness of Aviyal as required.
- You can use any vegetables. Just take care the cook time for each vegetable.
Parippu/Dal Fry
Ingredients:
Moong/cherupayar dal - 1 cup
Tur dal - 3 tbsp
Onions - 1 medium (chopped)
Green chillies - 2 nos (slit into half)
Tomatoes - 1 medium (chopped)
Garlic - 2 pods (chopped)
Jeera - ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
Water - 1 ½ cup
Salt - to taste
For tempering:
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Curry leaves - handful
Dry red chillies - 3 nos
Preparation:
- In a cooker, add the dals, onion, green chillies, tomato, garlic, jeera, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, water, salt and let cook for 2 to 3 whistle. Let cool and open the cooker.
- Pour ghee in a kadai, sputter mustard seeds, dry chillies and curry leaves and pour the dal to this kadai. Simmer and let the dal cook for another 2 minutes.
- Delicious dal fry is ready to serve with chapatis and rotis.
Note:
- This a semi dry dal fry. Water can be adjusted accordingly.
- Salt and heat can be added to taste.
Pineapple Pachadi
Ingredients:
Pineapple - 2 cups (cut into small cube pieces)
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Green chilli - 2 nos (chopped)
Shallots - 2 pods (sliced)
Thick curd - 1 cup
Cumin seeds - ¼ tsp
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Dry red chillies - 5 nos
Fenugreek powder - a pinch
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1 string
Crushed mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Water - ½ cup
Salt - to taste
Preparation:
- Grind coconut and cumin seeds to a paste.
- Cook Pineapple with turmeric powder, green chillies and ½ cup water.
- When the water gets dried, add the coconut paste, crushed mustard seeds and mix well. When this mixture turns to boil, off flame and let cool. Add sugar at this stage and let cool.
- Add the curd to the pachadi and mix well. Add a pinch of salt.
- In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies, shallots, curry leaves, fenugreek powder and fry for a sec.
- Add the tempering to the pachadi and mix well.
- Pineapple pachadi is ready to serve. It tastes better the next day.
Note:
- Adding sugar is optional. I like sweet, so add at least 1 tbsp.
- Adding green chilli to the pachadi is again optional.
Ulli Theeyal
Ingredients:
Small onions - 1 cup (peeled, washed and thinly sliced)
Red chilly powder - 2 tsp or as reqd
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Coconut grated- 1/2 of one
Fenugreek seeds(Uluva) - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil - 4 tbsp
Tamarind(Puli) - lime sized ball (soaked in 1 cup of hot water)
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 3 nos
Curry leaves - a string
Salt - to taste
Water - if required
Preparation:
- Heat 2 tbs oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds and stir for a sec.
- Add grated coconut and fry till they turn red in color. (make sure the coconut is not burnt)
- Add red chillie powder and coriander powder only after the coconut has been roasted and before you switch off the flame.
- Allow the above roasted mixture to cool. Grind the mixer along with enough water into a smooth paste and keep aside.
- Heat 2 tbs oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves and saute for a sec.
- Add sliced onions and saute, till brown in color.
- Add turmeric powder and saute.
- Now add the tamarind extract and mix well. Allow the mixture to boil.
- When boil comes up, add the coconut paste and salt and mix well.
- Simmer the mixture and when consistency is reached (which is neither too thick nor too thin),remove from the flame.
- Serve with rice.
Puli Inji Curry
Ingredients:
Ginger - ½ cup (chopped)
Green chillies - ¼ cup (chopped)
Dry red chillies - 3 nos
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
Jaggery - ½ cup (4 tbsp)
Tamarind extract - 1 cup (valan puli)
Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Curry leaves - 2 strings
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - ½ tsp (to taste)
Preparation:
- Peel ginger, wash, chop finely and keep aside.
- Chop green chillies and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, asafoetida powder, dry red chillies and curry leaves for a minute.
- Now add the chopped ginger and green chillies and fry till the ginger turns light brown in color.
- Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, tamarind extract, jaggery and salt to the ginger.
- Let this mixture boil till the gravy becomes thick and oil separates.
- Now add the fenugreek powder, mix well and off flame.
- Let cool, store in a dry barani or bottle.
Note:
- Puli inji thickens as it cools and can be refrigerated for at least a month.
- Check the salt and jaggery as per taste.
- Valan puli is used for the extract.
Cucumber Pachadi
Ingredients:
Cucumber - 1 cup (cut to small pieces)
Beaten curd - 2 cups
Grated coconut - ½ cup
Green chillies- 2 nos (chopped)
Mustard seeds - ½ + ½ tsp
Curry leaves - 1 string
Dry red chillies - 2 nos
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Preparation:
- Grind the coconut, green chillies and ½ tsp mustard seeds with little water and keep aside (this mixture should not be watery).
- In a bowl add the beaten curd and cucumber pieces, salt and keep aside.
- Add the coconut mixture to the curd and mix well. Check for salt.
- In a pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, asafetida powder, curry leaves and dry red chillies. Pour this tempering to the curd and mix.
- Cucumber pachadi is ready to serve.
Note:
- This pachadi tastes very well the next day when cold (refrigerate).
- Make sure the cucumber is not bitter.
Payar Thoran (Long Bean Thoran)
Ingredients:
Payar - ½ kg
Shallots - 15 - 20 nos (chopped)
Garlic - 2 pods (crushed)
Dry red chillies - 15 nos (crushed or powdered)
Curry leaves - handful
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - as required
Preparation:
- Cut payar into ½ inch pieces, wash, drain and keep aside.
- Pour oil in a pan, add shallots, garlic, crushed red chilli, turmeric and saute well till raw smell goes.
- Add the payar, salt and curry leaves and mix well.
- Add 2 tbsp of water, close lid and cook payar on low flame till tender (sprinkle water in between if required.
- Open lid and allow payar to cook for few minutes till dry (no water).
- Serve with rice or kanji.
Note:
- Add crushed chilli as per taste. I added 15 - 20 nos(crushed) as per my taste.
- Adding garlic is optional. You can even cook without garlic.
Easy Mango Achar/Pickle
Ingredients:
Raw mango - 1 cup (cut to very small pieces)
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder - 3 tbsp
Asafoetida powder - ¼ tsp
Fenugreek powder - ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dry red chillies - 5 nos
Curry leaves - 2 string
Water - ½ cup (boiled and cooled)
Coconut oil - 4 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Preparation:
- In a large bowl, add raw mango, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida powder, fenugreek powder, salt and keep aside for 20 mts.
- Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies and fry for a minute.
- Add the mango masala and mix well.
- Pour the boiled cooled water, mix well and bring to boil for a minute. Switch off flame and let cool.
- Serve with rice or parathas. Refrigerate for longer use.
Note:
- Spice and salt can be adjusted according to taste.
- This pickle is well served with rice and parathas.
Thenga Chammanth
Ingredients:
Coconut - 1 cup
Shallots (small onions) - 4 nos (chopped)
Dry red chilies - 3- 4 nos
Ginger - small piece (chopped)
Garlic - 1 pod (chopped)
Tamarind (Valan Puli) - lime size ball
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 10 leaf
Salt - to taste
Preparation:
- Heat oil in a kadia, add small onion, giner, garlic, red chillies, curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes till roasted.
- Add coconut and fry for 1 minute (make sure the coconut is not browned).
- Take off flame and let the mixture cool.
- Now add the tamarind and salt and mix well.
- Grind the mixture without adding water to the required consistency.
- Serve with rice, dosa, idli and kanji.
Note:
- No water should be added to the chamanthi, but i added 1 tbsp while grinding (optional)
- Make sure the tamarind is unsalted, if salted, check the salt before adding it to the mixture.
Kachiya Moru Curry
Ingredients:
Thick curd - 2 cups
Water - 1 cup
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Green chillies - 1 nos (chopped)
Garlic - 1 pod (chopped) - Optional
Dry red chillies - 2 nos
Curry leaves - handful
Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste.
Preparation:
- In a bowl add 2 cup curd, 1 cup water and beat well. Add salt, black pepper powder to the curd and beat for a minute again.
- Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves, green chillies, garlic, turmeric powder and saute for a minute.
- Reduce flame completely, pour the curd to the kadia and mix well for just 2 to 3 sec. (Make sure you don't boil the curd)
- Off flame and let cool. Serve with white rice and potato mezhukkupuratti (potato stir fry).
Neer Moru (Buttermilk)
Ingredients:
Thick curd - 2 cup
Water - 1 cup (chilled)
Salt - to taste
Green chilli - 1 nos
Jeera powder - ¼ tsp
Curry leaves - 1 string
Preparation:
- In a mixture add all the ingredients and beat well till froth appears on top.
- Strain the mixture and serve chilled buttermilk.
Tomato Rasam
Ingredients:
Tomatoes - 4 nos (medium sized)
Water - 4 cups
Tamarind (valan puli) - lemon size ball (soaked in ½ cup of water)
Garlic - 4 pods (crushed)
Black pepper corns - 1 tsp
Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - a handful
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp
Dry red chillies - 3 nos
Curry leaves - 1 string
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Preparation:
- Grind black pepper corns and jeera/cumin seeds to a coarse powder and keep aside.
- Boil tomatoes with water, once done off flame and smash the tomatoes well. Keep aside and let cool.
- Once done, add the grounded powder, tamarind pulp, crushed garlic,salt, coriander leaves and let boil for just a sec or two till you get a slight bubble on top.
- Heat oil in a kadai, splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies, asafoetida,curry leaves and pour this to the rasam.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Rice.
Semiya or Vermicelli Payasam
Ingredients:
Roasted semiya - 2 cups
Milkmaid - 1 tin
Milk - ½ liter
Cardamom (crushed) - ½ tsp
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
Raisins - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 5 tbsp
Preparation:
- Fry raisins and cashews nuts in 1 tbsp of ghee and keep aside.
- Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a kadai, add cardamom, semiya d roast till light brown in color.
- Add milk, milkmaid and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes till semiya is cooked.
- Once done add roasted cashewnuts and raisins.
- Delicious Semiya payasam is ready. Serve hot, warm or cold.
Note:
- This recipe can be doubled for more servings.
- Semiya tend to thicken very easily. Add more amount of milk if you do not want the dish to be too thick.
- Any variety of dry fruits can be added. You can also add some rose water and safforn to enhance taste.
